Taigu County, Chang Family Ancestral Hall.
Chang Qianli looked solemnly, looking at Chang Baiye who was kneeling in the hall, with a happy smile on his lips.
Standing on both sides were the prestigious and senior old and middle-aged people in the Chang family. Outside the hall, there were the sixteen shopkeepers, accounting clerks and clan members of the Chang family.
Behind Chang Qianli is the tablet of the ancestors of the Chang family. On the top tablet, the word "Chang Hui" is clearly engraved. This name means that the Chang family of Taigu has a long history, and its genealogy can be traced back. to the Han Dynasty.
Chang Hui has left his name in history, but this little person is often ignored by future generations. Instead, another person with him is remembered:
Su Wu.
Su Wu's deeds of herding sheep in Beihai were widely spread to later generations, but Chang Hui, who was detained by the Huns together with Su Wu for more than ten years, was rarely mentioned.
Chang Hui was later granted the title of Changluohou. It was from this person that the Chang family in Shanxi became a prominent family.
The winds of history have swept away countless heroes. No one can tell clearly how many twists and turns the Chang family has experienced in more than a thousand years. But Chang Qianli's lineage has completely lost the shadow of "official" and has become a pure businessman.
Chang Baiye raised his head and stared at the highest tablet with sharp eyes, thinking to himself: You can't become a famous family by just doing business. Without an official background, a rich family will always be a rich family.
The old man on the side handed the scale beam and weight to Chang Qianli, and then placed the basket containing grains and cloth in front of Chang Baiye.
Chang Qianli took the scale weight and rod, walked towards Chang Baiye, and said solemnly: "Your ability has been recognized by the clan, and today you are promoted to the chief steward of the Chang family, taking charge of the Chang family's business affairs. However, you need to grasp this sixteenth pole well." Venus scale!"
"The Seven Stars of the Big Dipper govern death, and the Six Stars of the South Dipper govern life. Fortune, wealth, and longevity are the fortune, wealth, and longevity of you and the Chang family. For business, if one or two are missing, it will harm the happiness of you and the Chang family. If you are missing two, Two ounces will hurt your income and the Chang family's, and three ounces less will shorten your and the Chang family's life. If you lose half a catty, you and the Chang family will no longer have any chance of survival, and they will perish one day! Keep it in your heart, and don't forget this moment! "
Chang Baiye felt a little heavy on his shoulders. What he was about to carry was the future of the Chang family!
Can you really bear it?
Chang Baiye clenched his fists, and flashed through his mind the hard work of these years. There was no busy day and night. From the clerk carrying goods, to the accounting room, to the shopkeeper, walking northeast and west, coordinating relations, and then to leaving the customs in Mobei, seeing the desert. The desolation, the vastness of the grassland, the sharpness of the Northern Yuan cavalry, and then the capital, where I saw the most prosperous city and the most powerful people in the world.
I have experienced a lot, growing up, crying sadly, and suffering pain and torture, but haven’t I come through it all?
No matter what suffering, pain, or difficulty, I have overcome them all.
Step by step, I, Chang Baiye, eventually became the most outstanding businessman of the Chang family. Since I live in this era, let me lead the Chang family to glory.
Chang Baiye let go of his hand, took the scale beam with firm eyes, and glanced at the goods in the basket. Grain is food, the basis of survival, and cloth is clothing, the basis of life. These are the starting points of countless businessmen.
Picking up the weight, Chang Baiye lifted the basket slightly with his hands and placed it on the ground. After the weight moved to a certain scale, he hung the basket and weighed it.
One end of the scale weight rises slightly, and the entire scale beam is very stable.
“Buying is fair!”
Chang Baiye shouted.
This move won the whole house applause.
A slight rise means that it is sufficient, just a little more.
Just by lifting the basket, he was able to estimate its weight accurately without changing the scale. This shows that Chang Baiye's perception of importance has reached a very high level.
Chang Qianli nodded with satisfaction. Although this method was not subtle, it at least showed that Chang Baiye had a very solid foundation. He took the abacus from the old man on the side, and then said to Chang Baiye: "In the bustling place, everything is beneficial. Abacus. Both top and bottom are public accounts. Only by not cheating, not making mistakes, not ignoring small profits, can you become a great businessman."
Chang Baiye took the abacus, shook it twice, and said: "Plan carefully and spend money wisely."
"It's done!"
the old man shouted.
Chang Qianli nodded slightly, helped Chang Baiye up, and then shouted to the outside of the hall: "Shopkeepers and clerks from all sides, please pay tribute to the chief manager."
After the words fell, the shopkeepers outside the hall went into the ancestral hall one by one to serve tea, to show that from now on, they would obey Chang Baiye's orders.
After some etiquette, a banquet is inevitable.
Chang Baiye was drunk by a group of shopkeepers and waiters. Although he fell into a deep sleep, on the morning of the next morning, Chang Baiye stood up despite the hangover headache and asked for gifts from Chang Qianli and the family elders.
After Chang Qianli said a few words, he made arrangements: "You have become a big steward, and your original wish has been fulfilled. Go to Wubian Temple today and return your wish. All the incense gifts have been arranged."
Chang Baiye quickly agreed.
Wubian Temple, also known as Baita Temple and Nan Temple, is located in the southwest corner of Taigu County.
Taigu County people have a saying that "first there was Baita Village, and then there was Taigu City." Taigu was originally called Baita Village, and the name of Baita Village comes from the "White Pagoda" in Wubian Temple. In the Sui Dynasty, Taigu County was named.
Chang Baiye and a group of servants left the city, and from a distance they could see the white tower standing in the mountains.
Wubian Temple faces north to south, with three courtyards in the front and back. The layout is rigorous but sparse. When designing the mountain gate, he adopted the plan of "a doorway at the bottom and a stage at the top".
Walking along the long and narrow mountain road and entering the temple, you suddenly feel enlightened. The temple has carved beams and painted pillars, and the trees in the courtyard are covered with greenery.
Chang Baiye arranged for people to deliver the incense gifts to the backyard, and then walked to the Heavenly King's Hall. After worshiping, he passed through the Heavenly King's Hall and arrived in front of the Main Hall.
After the predecessors left, Chang Baiye stepped forward, took three sticks of incense, and bowed respectfully. He silently thanked God for his care and prayed to God to help him become a real big businessman.
Putting the incense into the stove, Chang Baiye walked into the main hall and knelt on the futon.
At this moment, a faint fragrance floated, and Chang Baiye couldn't help but look to the side, and saw a beautiful woman kneeling respectfully, wearing a white peony smoked robe and a smoked plum blossom skirt.
The whole face cannot be seen, only the delicate and heart-warming profile.
Chang Baiye could tell, so the woman turned her head to look at Chang Baiye, only looked at each other, then stood up shyly and left the hall quickly.
After just one glance, Chang Baiye could not forget that face, a face as exquisite as a treasure, and a pair of peach blossom eyes filled with autumn water.
"Master."
Chang Yuan, the clerk who had been following Chang Baiye, shouted.
Only then did Chang Baiye wake up, shook his head, and walked out of the hall, looking for her. When he saw the beautiful figure in the distance, he said to Chang Yuan, "Go and ask whose wife that is."
Chang Yuan's eyes lit up, and as smart as he was, he naturally knew the meaning of this arrangement, and he didn't care about anything else. He quickly chased after it, and after secretly seeing clearly, he went to find the people in the temple. Anyone who burns incense and makes a wish or fulfills one's wish here will be understood by many people in the temple, whether he is a commoner or a wealthy family.
But the result of the inquiry surprised Chang Yuan, and he quickly found the "following idiot" Chang Baiye and reported: "Master, I found out clearly that this young lady is from out of town, not from Taigu County. But this time she Come, I offer a lot of incense and gifts, it’s not an ordinary people’s house.”
Chang Baiye was a little anxious. If an outsider passed by Taigu, he would not be able to find him again after being separated. Then his happiness for the rest of his life would be gone...
The woman arrived at the fish pond. The fish pond was in the shape of a hexagon. There were fish playing in the pond, and the waves rippled, which was very interesting. To the north of the fish pond is the White Tower.
The White Tower, I'm afraid it's her last view, right?
Unknowingly, Chang Baiye followed him to the White Tower.
The base of the white pagoda is octagonal, and it is designed as a seven-story pavilion, thirteen feet high, with eaves and flat seats on each floor.
One layer, another layer, another layer...
Chang Baiye finally reached the top floor. Standing here for a bird's eye view, he could see the entire Taigu County and the scenery for more than ten miles.
Can't wait any longer.
Chang Baiye was unwilling to miss it. He gritted his teeth and walked towards the woman who was looking at the scenery. He saluted respectfully and said, "This girl, Chang Baiye of the Chang family in Taigu, would you be honored to guide her to the scenery of Taigu?"
The woman stepped back shyly and looked at Chang Baiye. The maid on the side guarded the woman with half of her body like a jackal.
"Then I'd like to ask Mr. Chang."
The woman whispered.
The maid immediately became anxious after hearing this and said: "Miss, the master has ordered..."
The woman signaled the maid not to speak, stood by the railing, looked at Taigu County, and said: "I heard that Taigu County is the ancestral home of Bai Juyi, a layman in Xiangshan. I wonder if this is Juyi or Nan?"
Chang Baiye's mind was filled with emotion as he listened to the light and sweet voice. He also heard that the other party actually knew Bai Juyi's ancestral home. He couldn't help but cheer up and said calmly: "The Poetry Demon of the Tang Dynasty is known to everyone. The ancestral home of the Xiangshan layman is indeed Taigu. , but in his generation, he has moved to Xinzheng, Henan. Even if he is honored, it can only be the honor of his ancestors. It is somewhat inappropriate to be crowned in Taigu."
"As for whether it is easy or difficult to live in Taigu, it is difficult to answer. Shanxi is huge and rich in minerals, but Taigu is not as rich as Taigu. It is difficult for many people to live here. However, being trapped in the land, what you can get is limited. If you make profits from business , it’s not difficult to live here if you manage it carefully.”
After hearing this, the woman smiled and whispered: "But traveling in business is uncertain, and you will inevitably have to live with the stars and the moon. The pain of separation, family reunions are rare, isn't it? It's not difficult to live, so what's the joy?"
Chang Baiye was a little surprised, the woman's question went straight to his heart.
The Ming Dynasty disliked and despised businessmen. One of the reasons was that businessmen valued profits over separation and could not fulfill their filial piety around their parents or take good care of their brothers and sisters.
It's not difficult to live there, so what's the joy? !
If you have made millions of profits but lost your parents and family, what kind of happiness is there?
Chang Baiye looked at the scenery in the distance, suddenly laughed out loud, and replied: "It's not easy to climb high, but people always like to stand on high places and like to look down on the mountains and rivers. Isn't it the same with girls?"
ps:
The ancient scales are sixteen liang scales, also known as the sixteen gold star scales, which include the Big Dipper, the South Dipper, and the three stars of blessing, wealth, and longevity.
There is an idiom called half a catty and eight liang, which means they are equivalent to each other, that is, based on a scale of sixteen liang, eight liang is half a catty.
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